Dhammayatra Pilgrimage

Reflecting on the Path of Merit and Virtue: The Life Journey of the Great Teacher, Phra Mongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro) Rediscoverer of Vijja Dhammakaya

What is a Dhammayatra ?

Dhammayatra Program

Maintaining the home, temple, schools and Observing the 5 precepts.

A procession of Dhammayatra monks retracing the path significant to the life of the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro), the re-discoverer of the Dhammakaya Knowledge.

The life of a monk is the most noble life. It is an exemplary life of one who recognizes the dangers in the cycle of existence (Samsara) and understands the suffering that comes with the life of a layperson. The life of a layperson usually revolves around responsibilities of marriage, making it challenging to dedicate time to performing good deeds aimed at attaining Nirvana. Life as a monk, therefore, is a life of someone who abstains from the worldly ways, so he can free himself from worries and attachments. His actions, speech, and thoughts are dignified, serene, and polite. He focuses on cultivating his sila (moral discipline), samadhi (concentration), and panya (wisdom).

When a person ordains as a Buddhist monk, he must undergo training to cultivate discipline, respect, and tolerance. Dhammayatra is one of the exercises for newly ordained monk to train himself.

Dhammayatra derives from the words “Dhamma” and “Yatra.” “Dhamma” means goodness while “Yatra” means proceeding or progressing. Dhammayatra, therefore, means proceeding with Dhamma or departing with Dhamma. This essentially refers to the procession of a large group of Buddhist monks walking on foot to different areas to spread virtues, as a way for the monks to conquer their defilements with the teachings (Dhamma) of the Buddha. The 12th Dhammayatra Project takes place from January 2-31, 2024 and has Buddhist monks taking part in it. Throughout the Dhammayatra path, the lay public will have a chance to come pay their respect, as well as line the path with flower petals, as homage to the Triple Gem. The sight of a procession of a large group of monks walking peacefully in unison will inspire those without faith to develop faith and strengthen that of the faithfuls.

The act of paving the path with flowers by people with great faith in the Buddha also occurred during the time of the Buddha as recorded in the Tipitaka. One specific incident took place during a time when Vaishali city was experiencing great calamity. The people suffered severely and the death toll was exceptionally high. During that time, the Buddha was invited to visit Vaishali. As He and the 500 monks departed Rajgir, King Bimbisara prepared the path of about 80 kilometers with flags and banners, flowers of five different colors, tiered parasols, and other flowers. Even the residents came out to clean the road, decorate it with delicate garlands, and line it with flower petals of ten colors to welcome the Buddha.

Why is the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni so important that the procession follows the path significant to his life?

Throughout this Dhammayatra Project, not only will the monks have a chance to train themselves, they will also have time to recollect the immense compassion of the Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro), the re-discoverer of the Dhammakaya Meditation. The Great Master, overflowing with virtues and abilities, led his virtuous life in the footsteps of the Buddha. He continuously trained himself, gave Dhamma lessons, and taught people to meditate in order to attain Dhammakaya. Eventually, both Thais and foreigners who followed his teachings discovered for themselves the true goals of life and felt confident that Buddhism was the highest refuge.

7 Memorial Sites on the Path of Phra Mongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro)

Birthplace of Phramongkolthepmuni Memorial Hall (Lotus Land)

Site of Birthplace
Located on a lotus-shaped piece of land, surrounded by water, in Songpinong District, Suphanburi Province.

Number 1

Klong Bangnangtan Memorial

Site of Resolution for Lifelong Ordination

ตั้งอยู่ริมคลองบางนางแท่น อ.สามพราน จ.นครปฐม

Number 2

Wat Songpinong Memorial

Site of Ordination
Located at Wat Songphinong (Royal Temple), Songphinong District, Suphanburi Province.

Number 3

Main Chapel of Wat Bote-bon Bangkuvieng

Site of Enlightenment

Located at Wat Bot Bon, Bang Ku Wiang Subdistrict, Bang Kruai District, Nonthaburi Province.

Number 4

Bang-pla Memorial

The first place where the Vijja Dhammakaya was disseminated.
Located on the land opposite Wat Bang Pla, in Bang Len District, Nakhon Pathom Province.

Number 5

Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen

Site of Research and Propagation of Vijja Dhammakaya
Located at Wat Pak Nam (a royal monastery) in Phasi Charoen District, Bangkok.

Number 6

The Memorial Hall of Phra Mongkolthepmuni (Sod Chantasaro)

Site of Global Propagation of Vijja Dhammakaya

Located at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Khlong Sam Sub-district, Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani Province

Number 7

This path of the Great Teacher is associated with Phra Mongkolthepmuni (Sod Chantasaro), the revered monk of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen. He was a monk of great virtue and excellence, living his life following the example of the Buddha’s path to enlightenment. Through his diligent practice, he demonstrated to the world that Buddhism is indeed the highest refuge and the ultimate source of spiritual solace. This path of the Great Teacher includes seven significant locations in the history of the life of Phra Mongkolthepmuni of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen.

The Purpose of the Dhammayatra has three objectives

For the benefit and happiness of the public, for the world, and for the benefit and gratitude and happiness of people and Devas.
Teaching and declaring Dhamma however much must be done artfully in the beginning, artfully during, and artfully in the end. It must be done completely and purely.
Laypeople who have the chance to hear and know the Dhamma are ones who possess enough merit and perfections. Those who are able to attain the Dhamma exist, if there is no preaching of the Dhamma, then the Dhamma will be lost to the public. For those who have not yet the faith and wisdom are not few, but they will continue to cultivate these habits in the future.

Dhammayatra during the Buddha Era ?

During the Buddhist era, the Lord Buddha led the Sangha in great numbers in a procession known as the Dhammayatra in order to spread Buddhism, such as:

During the Buddha Era, the city of Vaishali, the capital of the Vacchi Kingdom, had a fellowship regime (similar to a modern republic), which was crowded with people.

The Vaishali city faced three disasters:

1. The cost of rice rose due to drought, causing famine.

2. A plague struck the city, causing the impoverished to starve and die in large numbers. The corpses were left outside the city emitting a foul smell.

3. This attracted amanussa, or non-human entities, to the city, causing more death, bringing the disease of Cholera, the worst of its kind.

The Kings of Licchavis, whose number reached 7,707 royals, asked for the people to meet together in the santhakarn (main meeting room) to jointly examine the conduct of the kings to see if they had broken the precepts or exhibited bad behavior to bring such disaster upon the city.

When they do not see that the kings have commited any offense, there was not punishment. Therefore, they sought to quell those threats by agreeing that they should pay respect to the Lord Buddha, who was then residing in Rachakri Province, and sent two Licchavis as ambassadors to bring tribute to King Bimbisara at Ratchakri City

The two ambassadors went to pay respects to the Lord Buddha and asked him for time to renovate the road from the beginning of the Rajgir city to the banks of the Ganges river, a distance of 80 kilometers, and built five more temples as rest stops for his Holiness.

The town of Vaishali, located 40 kilometers north of the left bank of the Ganges, when news had reached that the Lord Buddha accepted their invitation, prepared to smooth the road from the left bank of the Ganges to the city of Vaishali, building three temples and prepared offerings twice as much as King Bimbisara had done. Two parallel boats were brought for the Lord Buddha and 500 monks, which rode for 16 kilometers along the Ganges to Vaishali. King Licchavis also waded down to his elbow to receive the Lord Buddha in the Ganges River.

When the Lord Buddha lifted his first foot and stepped on the bank of the Ganges, gigantic clouds loomed and rain poured, flooding the ground and raising the water to knee and even waist level. The water carried away all the corpses from the city, floating them into the Ganges and purifying the ground.

When Phra Ananda learned the Rattana Sutta from the Lord Buddha, he took the Lord Buddha’s almsbowl and filled it with water and stood beside the city gate, recollecting the Lord Buddha’s resolution in past lives to attain Boddhisatta knowledge, and chanted the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, the Lokuttaradhamma 9, and entered the city chanting and spraying the holy water between the three walls of the city, causing the amanussa to flee. The townspeople were safe to leave their homes, surrounding Phra Ananda carrying flowers and incense to pay respect to him. Phra Ananda spent all night chanting.

The Lord Buddha stayed in Vaishali and preached the Rattana Sutta every day for seven days, and when he saw that the dangers were settled, bid farewell to King Licchavis and the Vajchi people and returned to Rajgir. This time, many people came to pay their respects to him in a grand manner to send the Lord Buddha across the Ganges.

Source: https://www.interhq.org/

https://www.dmc.tv/dhammayatra/ )

100,000 monks from ordination organized by every village and towns across Thailand will undergo a Dhutanga once they have finished their training in their province as gesture to their relatives that they have undergone intensive training

After the Rains Retreat, 1,000 monks who have decided to go further with their training will gather at Wat Phra Dhammakaya, where they undergo 10 hours of daily meditation for two months to prepare their bodies, speech, and mind to be pure and proper fertile fields of merits for relatives and laypeople in order to walk the Dhammayatra across several provinces, including Bangkok. Dhammayatra monks will walk a distance of more than 400 kilometers as a practice of the Lord Buddha’s teachings to spread Dhamma, in order to awaken Buddhists. The Dhammayatra must take place in the community of propagate to laypeople, while a Dhutanga taking place within the forest is for the purpose of self-training.

Source: https://www.dmc.tv/dhammayatra

Dhammayatra Activities

Welcoming Dhammayatra monks with Flower Petals

2.Collecting petals at Wat Phra Dhammakaya in order to welcome the Dhammayatra monks

3.Food and refreshment offering to Dhammayatra Monks

4.Chanting, meditation, and Dhamma lecture with Dhammayatra Monks

5.Alms offering to Dhammayatra Monks at Pilgrimage Sites

6.Lantern Lighting as Homage to the Lord Buddha and Great Master at Pilgrimage Sites

7.Sanghadana and Offering Tuition

8.Temple Maintenance along Pilgrimage Sites

9.Volunteerism in Dhammayatra Activities such as: Rug laying, spreading petals, and other meritorious activities.

Benefits of Spreading flower petals to welcome Dhammayatra monks

Be well reputed among humans and devas
Possess a pleasant and resonant voice
Welcomed and glorified where one goes
Celestial possessions, mansion, and attendees become radiant and prosperous
Blessed with good proportions and beautiful figure
Blessed with beautiful mouth and teeth
Destined for fortunate realms in the afterlife, barring one from unfortunate realms
Blessed with admiration from Devas and Brahmas
Attain Nibanna easily and quickly

People who attend Dhammayatra Program

Fridolin Holzer, Germany: This place is very beautiful and pleasant, and there are many happy good people. They worked hard to make this work happen. If people from all over the world attended this event, they would think that it was beautiful and that they would be happy to be here as well. I think Buddhism is great because Buddhists seem happy and Buddha has done a lot for the world. >> http://youtu.be/ 45xDEzvTxgk

Representatives of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic who came to welcome the Dhammayatra Monks: I am more proud than when I saw in DMC, I want everyone to see it, to welcome the monks, to have merit to come and pay homage because thousands of monks who are ordained and meditate can walk in the Dhammayatra. >> http://youtu.be/gG7We-iR1Go

Mon Tribe representatives who came to welcome the Dhammayatra Monks: We who came to scatter the petals today are delighted. I am very grateful, both Burmese, Mon, and Thai since I was born, I have never seen such a sight. >> http://youtu.be/g1B1qBFryAw

Jiran Wongpeung, Students of Faculty of Rat Bumrung Pathum Thani: I was very impressed to receive the Dhammayatra Monks. People like us don’t have much time to visit the temple, but this time the monks arrive in the city is a very good thing. I can’t find an opportunity like this anymore>> http://youtu.be/e8UuUyjhQdU

Information of Dhammayatra Program in each year

First Year, 2012 (January 2-25)

Dutanga Dhammachai established the Great Master Path in 6 provinces in 2023, “Dispel Disasters, Create Great Merit for the Land,”

1,127 Dhammayatra monks walked a distance of 365 km.

Second Year, 2013, (January 2-27)

Dutanga Dhammachai established the Great Master Path of Phra Mongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro) in its second year, passing down Thai culture and tradition as homage to the Lord Buddha, 2013, “Revitilize the Mind, Make Great Merit in the Land”

1,128 Dhammayatra monks walked a distance of 446 Km

Third Year, 2014, (January 2-28)

Dutanga Dhammachai, the retracing the path of the Mara Vanquisher, Phra Mongkolthepmuni (Sodh Candasaro) Thrid Year in welcoming a new era, “Replenish Great Merit to One’s Life”

1,129 Dhammayatra monks walked a distance of 459 km.

Fourth Year, 2015, (January 2-25)

“Dutanga Dhammachai” 6 Provinces commemorate to year 2012, “Dispel Danger,”

1,130 Dhammayatra monks walked a distance of 365 km.

Fifth Year, 2016 (January 2-31)

Dhammayatra Project in homage to the Great Master Mara Vanquisher, 7 Pilgrimage sites, 5^th Year

1,131 Dhammayatra monks in temple maintenance activities

Sixth year, 2018 (March 2-31)

Dhammayatra Project, retracing the path of Mara Vanquisher 6^th year, “Preserving the 5 Precepts” in honor of Magha Puja

1,134 Dhammayatra Monks joined in temple maintenance activities

Seventh year, 2019, (Janaury 2-31)

Dhammayatra Project, 7^th year, “Preserving the 5 Precepts”

1,135 Dhammayatra monks joined in temple maintenance activities

Eight Year, 2020, (January 2-31)

Dhammayatra Project, retracing the path of Mara Vanquisher, 8^th year, “Preserving the 5 Precepts”

1,136 Dhammayatra monks joined in temple maintenance activities

Ninth Year, 2021 (January 6-31)

Dhammayatra Project, retracing the path of Mara Vanquisher, 9^th year, “Preserving the 5 Precepts”

1,250 Dhammayatra monks join online

Tenth year, 2022 (January 2-31)

Dhammayatra Project, Retracing the path of Mara Vanquisher, tenth year, “Preserving the 5 Precepts”

Dhammayatra monks joined online

Eleventh year, 2023 (January 2-31)

Dhammayatra Project, in homage to Great Master Phra Monkolthepmuni, 7 Pilgrimage sites, 11^th year

1,139 Dhammayatra monks join in temple maintenance activities